NIHR St George’s Clinical Research Facility recruits first European participant for SARD-ILD commercial Boehringer Ingelheim study

Recruiting the first European participant is a significant milestone and reflects the expertise, dedication, and close collaboration of the teams involved.

Our Clinical Research Facility (CRF) has recruited the first European participant into a major commercial study investigating a potential new treatment for Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases associated with Interstitial Lung Diseases (SARD-ILD).

The NIHR Research Delivery Network has formally congratulated Dr Raminder Aul, Principal Investigator and specialist in General Internal Medicine and Respiratory Medicine, alongside his team and St George’s Hospital (Tooting), St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on reaching this important milestone.

The milestone has been recognised by the NIHR Research Delivery Network Performance and Impact Team, with congratulations also shared with colleagues across St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the South London Regional Research Delivery Network.(RRDN), including South London RRDN team.

Dr Raminder Aul said: “Recruiting the first European participant into this important SARD-ILD study is a fantastic achievement for St George’s NIHR Clinical Research Facility and reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. I would like to say well done to the SARD-ILD team, the CRF Respiratory Research Team, and all colleagues who supported delivery of the study. This milestone demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing research and improving future care for patients with these complex conditions.”

This achievement highlights St George’s strength in delivering complex commercial research and providing patients with access to innovative studies and potential new treatment options. Recruiting the first European participant is a significant milestone and reflects the expertise, dedication, and close collaboration of the teams involved.

The study has been supported by our CRF's Respiratory Research Team, Maria Belini, Senior Research Nurse, Dami Ogunrinde, Clinical Research Nurse, Belinda Eze, Clinical Research Fellow and Ruth Bescoby, Clinical Research Practitioner - Radiology. Their commitment and teamwork helped cement this achievement and played an important role in the successful recruitment of the first European participant.

This success underlines the vital role St George’s NIHR Clinical Research Facility and the Trust plays in advancing research into complex autoimmune and interstitial lung diseases, and in contributing to international studies that could improve care for patients in the future.